Hunger of the Heart

by Trinity Blacio

  He grinned. His Little Gypsy was full of spunk, and she was going to need it before all of this was done, but, in the meantime, he could put some joy into her life. He approached Penn, who sat with his laptop.

  Without even moving, Penn said, “Let me guess. You want me to call the local nursery and have plants and soil delivered to replace her garden?”

  “Please, but this can be taken out of my personal account. Have them delivered tomorrow morning. It will give the woman something to do while we speak with the other groups of Shawnee.”

  “I take it you have them coming here?” Penn asked.

  “The heads of the families will be here. We’ll use her house so they won’t be seen if they want to keep hidden for now. I’m going to try and catch a few Zs while she is busy. I have a feeling she’s going to keep me moving.” He headed for the tent he shared with Sun Bull, hearing Penn’s snort.

  Chapter Four

  “Freedom is a matter of perception my body is free, but my soul cries out for its other half out there waiting to be found.” Running Wolf, President, White Buffalo MC

  Kizzy and Rose had worked for two hours making a list of plants and things they would need to start over. They were lucky it was still early in the season and they had plenty of time to plant their second garden. With the things Running Wolf had ordered for her, Kizzy would save a lot of money.

  Rose had tried to yell at her for calling in the White Buffalos, but Kizzy had seen the relief in her eyes. In a matter of minutes, she had been hugging her tight and thanking her.

  As the two women strolled down the sidewalk of the small town, Rose leaned in and spoke in a low voice. “I think this Running Wolf has a thing for you.”

  She snorted and took a glimpse behind her. Running Wolf had changed into a pair of black jeans that hugged his butt nicely, and the leather vest he wore with no shirt displayed his hairless chest.

  Rose elbowed her as Running Wolf caught her staring. She moaned, wanting to crawl into a hole she was so embarrassed. “Stop,” she growled, but Rose only continued to tease her, until the mayor, Dana Sanders, stepped in front of them.

  At once. Running Wolf and his friend Dark Horse stepped in front of the two of them, urging them back.

  “Is there a problem, Mayor?” Running Wolf asked.

  “Who are you?” Dana asked. The mayor was Kizzy’s height with grayish-black hair and dead eyes. At least. that was what she called his brown eyes.

  “My name is Running Wolf, and I’m here to help some of my friends with a few problems they seem to be having, but I’m sure you know nothing about the damage that has been done to Kizzy’s property and her neighbors’.”

  The mayor inched forward. Dark Horse countered his move, but the mayor’s two personal bodyguards moved closer behind him. “This is my town. Remember that.” He angled to the side. “Kizzy, you should have come to me. I would have helped. There is no reason to call in outsiders.”

  Kizzy shuffled past Running Wolf and slid up beside the mayor, bumping into him. “Sorry, but are you going to do something when your own police chief hasn’t done crap? Please, I’m not stupid Dana. Maybe now we can find out what you and Teter are really up to. Now, if you will excuse us, we have a garden to replace, since someone decided to destroy mine.” Reaching back, she grabbed Rose’s hand, and, together, they walked past him.

  Running Wolf and Dark Horse moved in behind them. “We’ll talk soon, Mayor,” Running Wolf said. He turned a stern glare on Kizzy.

  “What? Did you really believe I’d say nothing?” she yelled. “Everyone in town knows the mayor has the police chief in his pocket!”

  The mayor spun toward her, his eyes bugging out of his head. Running Wolf placed his hand over her mouth, hustling her around the corner before things deteriorated further.

  After a moment, Kizzy had enough and kicked him in the shin. Finally, he let her go, glaring at her as he rubbed his leg. “Kizzy!”

  “Don’t Kizzy me! I’m not a child, and I sure don’t like being treated like one. I’ve known you, what, eight freaking hours, and you act all caveman on me? Take care of yourself, Running Wolf, or I’ll make sure I start reading my momma’s journal on how to make a damn voodoo doll.” Kizzy leaned back. “You know, that might not be a bad idea? Yes!” She knew what she needed to do. “Come on, Rose. I need a few other things on this trip into town.” She headed for the craft store, dragging a laughing fool Rose along with her.

  “It’s not that funny,” she mumbled as they got into the store.

  “Yes, it was, and you two are perfect for each other.” Rose faced the store entrance where Dark Horse and Running Wolf stood. “Already he’s thinking of ways to tan your hide for kicking him. I’ve seen that expression and know it well.” Rose shivered.

  What the hell was she talking about? “Lone Star never hurt you, did he? Because if he did….”

  Rose shook her head. “Oh, girlfriend, do we need to talk. You have led such a sheltered life.” Rose proceeded to tell her stories of erotic spankings, bondage, and all sorts of sex toys she had never heard of that had her skin burning red. Spinning around, she almost ran smack into Running Wolf.

  He placed his hands on her shoulders and stared down at her. “So what has you so embarrassed? Rose, what kind of stories have you been telling?”

  Kizzy reached over, covering her friend’s mouth. “Don’t you dare.”

  Rose pushed her hand away. “Oh, just some personal stories, updating my friend on the number of adult things.”

  “Let the Great Mother open the Earth and swallow me now,” Kizzy groaned, never so embarrassed in her life.

  ***

  Running Wolf grabbed onto Kizzy before she could lunge at her friend. “Seems I might have to have a chat with your husband and ask him what kind of stories you could be telling,” he teased.

  “You wouldn’t?” Kizzy asked, wide-eyed.

  “Relax, my Little Gypsy. We’ll be creating our own stories soon enough.” Running Wolf placed a kiss on her ear. “I can’t wait to get you back to your home so I can show you what your little outburst earlier gets.” He ran his fingers down her back to her ass where he squeezed one of her butt cheeks. “Have you ever had your ass spanked, Little Kizzy?”

  She sucked in her breath and tried to push away from him.

  His Little Gypsy was excited. Her round nipples were hard. “I bet your panties are wet just thinking of the things I could do to you.” He paid her back a little for the bruised shin she’d given him.

  “Please.”

  “A truce?”

  She agreed quickly.

  “You know you don’t really need all of this stuff.” He pointed to the items she had gathered. “I don’t think you were meant to do this kind of thing. Maybe that’s why your mother didn’t teach you her curses?”

  “Guess I’m not much of a gypsy.” She sighed. “Marcus and my cousins have been so protective of me. I’m sorry about kicking you, but that man makes me so mad.”

  Running Wolf tweaked her nose. “I want you to let us take care of the mayor and the banker, okay?”

  “I still want to try the doll.” She pulled a few pieces of hair along with a small pair of scissors from her pocket. “I do have some talents my cousin Turtle taught me.”

  “How did you get close enough to cut that?” Running Wolf touched the chunk of hair in her hand. “You know he’s going to miss that much hair.”

  She shrugged. “How is he going to know it was me?”

  The door to the fabric shop banged open, and he stepped in front of Kizzy as Dark Horse did the same with Rose.

  “You little witch! Where is my hair?” The mayor stomped toward them, followed by the chief of police.

  “I have no idea what you mean.” Kizzy peeked around Running Wolf.

  “Search her right now, Chief!” the man yelled.

  “No one is touching Kizzy, Mr. Mayor, and if your thug knows what’s good for him, he’ll back off. I’m sure Frank would love to h
ear about how a police chief harassed a woman,” Running Wolf said.

  “Frank who, and you are?” the cocky chief got up close and personal to him.

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ve heard of Frank Welldon. Matter of fact, I’ll be meeting him later tonight. Would you like to join us? I’m sure he would love to meet you,” Running Wolf stepped back, his attention now centered on Kizzy.

  “Watch your step, Ms. Kizzy. They won’t be around forever,” the cop said. “Let’s go, Mayor. I have work to do, not trying to figure out where a chunk of your hair went.”

  Letting the cop walk out of the shop was a testimony to his patience, especially since the man had just threatened what was his. Anger radiated from Dark Horse as well. “We do this by the book for now, but if it does not work, we’ll see,” Running Wolf told his enforcer who just snorted.

  “Get your stuff. We have work to do,” Running Wolf told Kizzy, and she rushed around gathering what she needed, but her hands shook as she reached for a number of things, dropping a few items in the process. His Little Gypsy was not one for violence. She had a pure heart, and he was going to make sure she stayed that way.

  Taking her bag of things, Running Wolf stepped outside before the women to find a few more of his men there waiting for them. He lifted his eyebrow.

  Dark Horse shrugged. “There is no sense in risking your woman. She gives us hope for the Dark Times coming.”

  “What Dark Times? What does that mean?” Kizzy asked, following him.

  “In time, I’ll explain, but for now, let’s deal with this personal problem first, shall we?” He lifted the bag in his hand. “So do you think you can do this?”

  “I wish I’d gotten close enough to the cop to get hair from him as well, but I don’t have the balls to go that far,” she mumbled. “The mayor and Teter are a different story.”

  “And how will you know if it’s working?” Running held the door open to the nursery for them. His men were already in the place.

  A small woman approached them, fidgeting and peering over her shoulder. “Kizzy I’m so, so sorry about what happened, but I’m afraid I don’t have what you need here.”

  “What? The tomato plants right over there?” Kizzy pointed to her left. “The herbs down farther?” Kizzy did a slow circle, scanning their surroundings. “Oh, I see. Should have known. Don’t worry, Lisa. I know you have to make a living. I’ll just order from a different place. But you make sure you use that ointment for your husband.” She patted the woman’s arm then swung around and moved back outside followed by Rose and the rest of her entourage.

  “I’m going to help you make those damn dolls. I’ve had enough. The nerve to threaten that poor old lady,” Rose snapped. “It’s time this Indian brought out her war bonnet.”

  “What happened in there?” Running Wolf asked.

  “Teter was in there with his goons. I’m pretty sure they were threatening Lisa’s husband if she were to sell us anything.” Kizzy headed straight toward her SUV.

  “Wait, how do you know when we didn’t notice anything?” Running Wolf asked.

  “Because you haven’t seen all the men Teter has working for him, but we have.” Kizzy took Rose’s hand. “We could drive over to Oberlin. They have a few nurseries there no one from here can control. Matter of fact, I know the owner of the one. I’ll call him when we get in the car.”

  Running Wolf stopped them. “Wait, should we go back and help her?”

  She shook her head. “You might help her for now. But as soon as you leave, they’ll take it out on her disabled husband. It’s best to go somewhere else for now.” Kizzy placed her hand on his chest. “Look, I want to help her, too, but we’d do more damage if we go barging in there.”

  “I could just kill Teter’s men and get this over with, but she’s right. We can’t cover the whole town. I have a feeling these two men and their thugs have their hands dipped into a lot of different things around here. You believed I wanted to leave her, that I didn’t want to help her.”

  Rose pointed a finger at him. “I’ll have you know this woman not only saved my son’s life, she has helped a number of these city people. If you even think that, you are not the man for my friend. Come on, Kizzy, you can stay with us tonight since I know the dickhead will come by after that show in the fabric shop.”

  “You mean the cop? Why would he come over? Especially since we’re there to make sure nothing bad happens?” Running Wolf asked.

  “Because Kizzy used to date the asshole until she found out what a jackass he was,” Rose said. “He’s been trying to get her back.”

  Chapter Five

  “Her skin is as soft as the petals of a flower, and when she turns that smile on me my soul blooms seeking her light.” Running Wolf, President, White Buffalo MC

  Running Wolf’s expression of disbelief only made her more furious. Who the hell was he to judge her anyway? She hooked her arm around Rose’s and moved forward, ignoring the men altogether.

  “My life is none of their concern, Rose, so let’s just drop the subject. They are here to help you and your family. I can pack up and leave anytime. Did I tell you Marcus wants me to come down and live near him?” She took a deep breath and let it out. “Maybe it’s time I think of moving on anyway. My mom might have been right.”

  Rose stopped, glaring at her. “No, she was not. You are doing fine. It’s not your fault we have dickheads around here. True, your family protected and sheltered you, but never doubt yourself. You’ve accomplished so much already. Just what you did for me is impressive.” Rose hugged her tight. “If not for you, I would have given up long ago. You’ve kept us all going and fighting for what is right. So do not even think of giving up. Who would show me the rest of those dances you promised to teach me?”

  Kizzy giggled. “Okay, but tonight we show your husband how much you’ve learned, deal?”

  “Not unless you are going to do it with me.”

  “Of course. Payback’s a bitch, don’t you think?” Kizzy reached over and squeezed her arm.

  Rose spoke close to her ear. “I take it we’re going to wear the outfits you made for us?”

  “Yep, might as well do the whole thing. What do you think?” She peeked back, noticing Running Wolf speaking to Dark Horse.

  “Oh, honey, he has no idea what is coming his way, and you are right, payback is a bitch. We’ll be over at seven tonight. My folks should be able to keep an eye on the kids because, after our dance, well, you know.” Rose fanned herself.

  “Come on, hot woman, we have work to do. Tomorrow, I will be planting a new garden if I have to drive down to Oberlin myself and get those plants.”

  Running Wolf took her hand, twining his fingers in hers. “That won’t be necessary. I called Penn with your list of plants and he is having them delivered tomorrow morning, so you two will have plenty to keep you busy. I have to apologize for earlier,” he continued. “I’m afraid I let a little bit of jealousy get in my way when I had no right, at least yet.”

  “What do you mean yet? I haven’t agreed to anything and this is the second time you’ve indicated that there was something going on between us—”

  Without warning, Running Wolf tackled her onto the sidewalk.

  “Oof!” It seemed as if her lungs had left her body.

  The whine of bullets buzzed past them. Running Wolf covering her body was not helping her breathe, but he’d thrown his arms around her head, keeping her skull from hitting the concrete.

  “Are you okay?” He lifted her and carried her into the dry cleaners next to them, surrounded by his men—she hadn’t even known any of the others had come with them.

  He patted her body for damage while she took a big gasp of air. “Where is Rose?”

  “Right there with Dark Horse. Where does it hurt?”

  “I’ll be bruised for a while, but I’m okay now that I can breathe. What the hell happened?” Kizzy tried to see outside the door they had come in.

  “Sniper. Anyone hurt in here?”r />
  “The owner took a bullet in the arm,” a woman yelled from behind the counter; Kizzy knew that voice. “He’s bleeding like a stuck pig,”

  “Maggie, you okay?” Kizzy asked.

  The woman popped into view. “Yeah, but I’ll be sore tomorrow. That big lug landed on me. What the hell happened?”

  “Whoever it was got away. We found the gun, but the police chief took it. He’ll be here in a few seconds,” Sun Bull stated. “You okay, Kizzy?”

  She waved at him, but, all of a sudden, her legs started to shake, so Kizzy slid down the wall to sit. “I think I’ll rest right here. Maybe you can just get the car.”

  Rose settled beside her. “I second that idea. I think I’ve had enough excitement for the day,” Rose mumbled, just as the dickhead chief of police entered the building.

  ***

  Running Wolf and Dark Horse faced off with the chief of police.

  “I’ll need to speak with the two ladies,” he said.

  “No you won’t. We were all out there. The four of us can each give you a statement, but you will not get any closer to the women, and you know why.”

  “Are they okay?” Tack asked, stepping into the store.

  “They just want to go home,” Running Wolf said.

  “Give me a few minutes.” Tack addressed the chief of police. “Maxim, I will personally question everyone. Frank Welldon is waiting for you outside. Oh, and not to worry. I’ve already taken the weapon from your men who seemed determined to put their damn prints all over it. We’ll be discussing retraining some of your men real soon, that is, if you are still wearing that uniform.”

  The man sputtered, his face flaming. “You should have stayed with me, Kizzy. I could have protected you.” He stormed out of the store.

  They needed to get both women back where they would be protected. As soon as Maxim left, he knelt in front of them. “He’s not going to touch you, either of you. We’ll protect you,” Running Wolf said, but the Kizzy faced away from him.